Delphi to join Hoosier Heartland Conference for 2019-20 school year

Delphi Community High School has accepted an invitation to join the Hoosier Heartland Conference, according to an announcement by Athletic Director Kevin Sims. The conference affiliation, pending approval from the school board at its March 12 meeting, will officially begin with the 2019-20 school year for all sports.

“Our administration, athletic department, coaching staffs and the community are thrilled to have the opportunity to join the Hoosier Heartland Conference,” Sims said. “It was the place where we wanted to be.

“The Hoosier Heartland Conference is a great fit for us, and we have felt like it was the best place for us to affiliate with moving forward,” he added. “We are really grateful for the opportunity to join it.”

Delphi made inquiries about joining the Hoosier Heartland Conference over the past couple of years, but an opening wasn’t available until conference members Frontier, North White and Tri-County decided to join the new version of the old Midwest Conference.

The new Hoosier Heartland Conference as currently comprised will consist of nine teams, including Carroll, Clinton Central, Clinton Prairie, Eastern, Rossville, Sheridan, Taylor and Tri-Central. Rossville does not participate in football.

“It was really important for us to join a conference where we had some natural rivalries,” Sims said. “We have that with Carroll and Rossville, and both Clinton Central and Clinton Prairie have been on our schedules for many years.”

Sims indicated he will be trying to add as many events with the new conference teams as early as next season before the full participation begins the following year.

The Oracles have participated in their sporting events as an independent since departing the Hoosier Conference after the 2014-15 school year.